Tesla is developing Semi truck charging stations with its largest customers

New details about the Tesla Semi charging infrastructure have emerged, showing the company’s strategy to partner with its truck buyers on the development and installation of chargers at customer facilities.

Tesla is collaborating with firms which placed the largest orders for the electric long-hauler, including Anheuser-Busch, PepsiCo and United Parcel Service Inc., to name a few. The companies are working with Tesla on the development of on-site charging terminals at the facilities where the Semi would be deployed and housed. The chargers, presumably Tesla’s ultra-high powered Megacharger, will be installed at key locations that are frequently traveled by the fleet operator and spaced close enough together so that Tesla’s Semi has enough range to return back to home base.

In a statement to Reuters, PepsiCo executive Mike O‘Connell noted that an agreement to share charging facilities for the Semi would help the electric truck service a wider area. The PepsiCo executive stated that it has already met with Tesla a number of times to discuss the possibility of a shared charging station network.

Overall, O‘Connell is optimistic about the ongoing collaboration between Tesla and its buyers.

“We have a lot of in-house capability around energy and engineering, and certainly, Tesla brings their expertise to the table on energy and charging,” the PepsiCo executive said.

A Tesla spokeswoman has confirmed that the Elon Musk-led company is indeed working together with its biggest Semi reservation holders to build on-site charging stations. The representative, however, did not provide any other information apart from the confirmation of the project. Details, such as the costs for the in-house charging stations, have not been disclosed.

Since being unveiled, the Tesla Semi has attracted the interest of several high-profile local and international firms. Just recently, we covered recent Semi purchases from local firms such as MTVG and Ruan, as well as international companies such as UAE-based Bee’ah and Norway-based Posten Norge. In the United States, several high-profile companies have committed to the Tesla Semi, with UPS ordering a record 125 units and PepsiCo placing reservations for 100 electric trucks.

Powered by four Model 3-derived electric motors, the Tesla Semi is capable of hauling up to 80,000 pounds of cargo. Without cargo, the heavyweight Semi is capable of accelerating from 0-60 mph in just 5 seconds.

Tesla is developing Semi truck charging stations with its largest customers